January 19-25, 2026 / Hawai`i Island, USA
Vol 45, Week 3: Lunar Broadcast Precursor — Terrestrial Edition
Solar System Complete Exploration in the 21st Century (Going Beyond Moon-Mars)
As Americans, Chinese, Indians and other Asian, African and European peoples, enterprises, organizations and nations advance toward mid / late 21st Century, pioneering national and international plans aim to explore and develop the Solar System outer zones—the gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), their hundreds of satellite worlds, the 3rd Zone of the Kuiper Belt, and the Milky Way Galaxy beyond. These regions encompass 99% of the Solar System known planetary mass, and represent the next frontier enabled by Earth-Moon (CisLunar) baseline infrastructure, progressing through asteroids and Mars. Leveraging the Moon as an “8th Continent” launch pad will enable more efficient deep-space propulsion (lunar water ice deposits, Helium-3 mining, regolith processing) and permanent human-occupied outposts (Artemis base, International Lunar Research Center, Moon Village). As spacecraft JUICE, Europa Clipper and New Horizons prepare for Jupiter or Kuiper Belt exploration, missions such as Dragonfly, Tianwen-3, -4, -5, and others are under development—sparking a potential golden age of Solar System exploration. Wu Weiren (Chief Designer of the China lunar exploration program and President of the International Deep Space Exploration Association), and Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India) are both championing ambitious Solar System exploration, focusing on deep space. Every planet, moon and small body holds insights into Solar System origins, potential of extraterrestrial life and habitability. Visions for the late 21st Century include crewed journeys to the outer planets, in-situ exploration of icy moons with subsurface oceans, and Kuiper Belt outposts as stepping stones toward interstellar aspirations. (Image Credits: ESO, NASA)
Block 3 Debut: Starship 12 Launches the Era of Massive Reusable Payloads
Scheduled for a Q1 2026 launch, Starship Integrated Flight Test 12 debuts the highly anticipated Block 3 vehicle at Starbase new Pad 2 in Texas. Booster 19 and Ship 39 feature taller structures when compared with Block 2, improved reusability elements, and powerful Raptor 3 engines that deliver higher thrust and greater overall efficiency. Equipped with 33 engines on Booster 19, Flight Test 12 aims to demonstrate upgrades paving the way for significantly increased payload capacity, with long-term target of Block 3 delivering up to 200 tons into LEO in reusable configurations. Pad 2 includes advanced cryogenic propellant lines and quick-disconnect arms, enabling parallel vehicle processing and supporting a much faster flight cadence. SpaceX advancements are bolstered by expanding infrastructure, including a new Starship site, Space Launch Complex 37 at Canaveral SFS, and the rising Gigabay facilities for high-volume stacking / refurbishment at both Starbase, Texas and Cape Canaveral, Florida. The flight profile now emphasizes a conservative, data-rich approach: anticipated separation velocity optimizations paired with controlled soft splashdowns for both booster and upper stage. Raptor engines have accumulated extensive test and flight runtime across hundreds of units, validating cold-start performance—critical for future in-space relights. These Block 3 upgrades intend to support future orbital refueling, boosting efficiency for ambitious Moon missions. These developments support NASA Artemis program in 2026 while laying groundwork for larger cargo deliveries and sustained lunar infrastructure in the longer term. (Image Credits: SpaceX)
Humans in Space
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 74 crew now split, 3 members remaining on ISS after Crew-11 departure of 4 in 1st medical evacuation in ISS 25-year history, with Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov commanding Flight Engineers Cosmonaut Sergei Mikayev and Astronaut Chris Williams; essential maintenance is prioritized, including on hoses and navigational aids; high-priority science continues, such as blood-pressure study and tests evaluating how small crews make decisions and work together under stress; weather / spacecraft readiness will determine launch date for Crew-12, whether February 15 or earlier.
Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-21 crew Zhang Lu (张陆), Wu Fei (武飞), and Zhang Hongzhang (张洪章) filming Tiangong TV episodes, performing rendezvous / docking training on joysticks for velocity / attitude, practicing medical rescue / emergency evacuation in fire conditions, using brain-computer interface equipment, wearing sensors for muscle / tendon pressure and intuitive physical behavior, researching quantum dot batteries, replacing / cleaning / repairing science equipment, maintaining life support / exercise systems, having health tested using 4 diagnostic methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Lunar Enterprise News: Caves May Give Opening to Establishment of Moon Base │ 4 Artemis Astronauts Inspire Next Generation with 1st Human Lunar Exploration in 21st Century
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Tue Jan 20: Apollo Asteroid 2026 AK (0.029 AU); Wed Jan 21: Apollo Asteroid 2026 AG (0.027 AU); Wed Jan 23: Apollo Asteroid 2019 LZ4 (0.036 AU)
First Woman FLIES to the Moon …
NET (no earlier than)
First Woman LANDS on the Moon …
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Land your name on the Moon!
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Ongoing Events:
Jan 17 – Jan 19 — Nichelle Nichols Foundation, Huntsville AL, USA: Nichelle Nichols Space Camp.
Jan 17 – Jan 22 — Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), San Francisco CA, USA: SPIE Photonics West Conference.
Jan 18 – Jan 21 — Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC), Honolulu HI, USA: Pacific Telecom Conference (PTC 26).
Events
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2nd Anniversary: Japan’s First Lunar Landing (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon | SLIM)
Shioli Crater, 13.31°S 25.25°E, Moon SurfaceSecond annual observation of JAXA lunar landing Moon near side equatorial region in 2024 and Japan becoming 5th country to successfully land on Moon.
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Launch Long March 12 / Unknown Payload
Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China15:00 - 19:00 CST launch window
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Rocky Worlds 4
Groningen, NetherlandsIn-person registrations for the conference are full // Registration for virtual participation is open. The planets that are best understood are the four terrestrial planets of our own solar system. Applying the detailed understanding gleaned from these bodies is crucial in our interpretation of exoplanetary systems. With the ongoing programs to […]
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Astronaut / Moonworker Buzz Aldrin Starts 97th Year
Nationwide USAAs USA prepares to send people to the Moon this year, today Buzz Aldrin is celebrated for being part on the 1st human mission on the Moon, arriving as the Lunar Module "Eagle" pilot that also brought Neil Armstrong there on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. He is credited […]
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Welcome Event with Astronaut Charlie Duke for Astronaut Scholarship Recipients
Houston TX, USAScholarship Awards (merit-based) and educational seminar are presented on the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and its impact on our world. Open to public, at Rice University Ralph S. O'Connor Building, 4:00 PM Central Standard Time.
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LOGIC Semi-Annual Meeting: Lunar Operating Guidelines for Infrastructure Consortium
Online10:00-11:30 EST (UTC-5). Leading the effort to establish lunar infrastructure interoperability, ensuring that systems work seamlessly together by uniting commercial, governmental, and international stakeholders, LOGIC unites 1,000+ members, is sponsored by DARPA and managed by Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
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8th Winter Satellite Workshop
Espoo, Dipoli, FinlandFinCOSPAR, EXPO, Remote Sensing Days.
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Launch New Shepard / NS-38
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site / Corn Ranch, Van Horn TX, USA Launch Site One (LSO), Van Horn, TX, United StatesLaunch window 07:30-15:30 CST (03:30-11:30 HT).
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Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 17-30
SLC-4E (~35°N), Vandenberg SFB CA, USALaunch window 18:43-22:43 PST (16:43-20:43 HT) for 24 internet satellites.
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Northrop Grumman Q2 2026 Financial Results Telecom
Online09:30 ET NG will announce its 2nd quarter 2026 financial results for investors.
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Lunar ISRU Monthly Telecon: Water Ice Prospecting
OnlineZoom meeting for discussion, updates; 11:00-11:50 EST.
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13th Moon Village Association GEGSLA Operational Meeting
Online / Vienna, Austria2 hours (15:00 to 17:00 CET). 15:00 – 15:05 Introduction 15:05 – 15:25 Working Group Reports WG1 – report “Application of the World Heritage Convention to furthering sustainable natural and cultural heritage management on the Moon”, WG1 status and ways forward WG2 status and ways forward WG3 […]
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Space Force 2040 and The Future Fight
Washington DC, USADiscovery Series event at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center Theater, featuring Gen. Shawn N. Bratton — Vice Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force; John Plumb — Head of Strategy, K2 Space; Susanne Hake — General Manager, U.S. Government, Vantor; Dennis Woodfork — Mission Area Executive, National Security Space, Johns Hopkins […]
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4th Agile Mission Assurance Workshop (2026)
El Segundo CA, USASoliciting short presentations from government, industry, and academia on the following topics: Adaptive mission assurance taxonomies, frameworks, and philosophies Approaches, tools, and techniques that promote agility in mission assurance Managing risk and failure Prioritizing mission assurance activities within constrained resources Missions applying new assurance techniques Failure stories – tell us […]
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NASA Annual Day of Remembrance
Nationwide USATo honor fallen Astronauts, held annually on the fourth Thursday of January. Commemorations are held at Arlington National Cemetery, several NASA centers, and in partnership with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation at the Space Mirror at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex. Among those honored on Remembrance Day are the crews […]
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Welcome Event with Astronaut Charlie Duke for Astronaut Scholarship Recipients
Stephenville TX, USAScholarship Awards (merit-based) and educational seminar are presented on the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and its impact on our world. Open to public, at Tarleton State University (Texas A&M), Clyde H Wells Auditorium FA101, 10:00 AM Central Standard Time.
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China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China 2026)
Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaInternational aerospace trade show approved by central government of China with support from aerospace industries; at Zhuhai Jinwan Airport.
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Applications Due for Akamai Internship
Online10-week summer program June 1 - August 7, 2026, for STEM undergraduates to gain work experience at observatory, company or science/ / technical facility. STEM majors include engineering, computer science, astronomy, physics and others. Stipend of $4,600 given, along with housing, inter-island airfare and ground transportation.
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Introduction to ArcGIS Pro for Planetary Science
OnlineFacilitated by Cornell Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility (SPIF). Introduces features and tasks most-relevant to planetary science, setting up a project, images, sketches and data use.
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Abstracts Due for Use of International Space Station to Advance Science Presentation at 2026 ASCEND
OnlineISS R&D Technical Sessions at 2026 ASCEND are sponsored by ISS National Lab, managed by CASIS under NASA Cooperative Agreement. Due by 11:59 EST (UTC-5). In-person presentations only, May 19-21, Washington DC, USA; open to all nationalities. Preference given to reporting data / results from completed R&D, or funded R&D […]
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ICSE 2026: 3rd Beijing Commercial Space Industry Quality Development Conference / 2026 Beijing Commercial Space Expo
Beijing, ChinaTheme is Pooling Global Resources to Promote Commercial Space Together. Expecting 20,000 visitors for 300 exhibitors in 20,000 square meters of exhibition space, to provide a comprehensive showcase of the space ecosystem, spanning from R&D and manufacturing to the application end, and illustrate the development landscape of China's commercial space industry. […]
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21st Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Science Day
Hilo HI, USAMeet NASA Astronaut Don Pettit, experience STEM exhibits / workshops / robotics tournament, in celebration of 1st Hawai'i Astronaut El Onizuka. At University of Hawai'i, 07:45-14:30 HT. Register ahead for workshops. Partners include Onizuka Family, Onizuka Memorial Committee, Hawai'i Science and Technology Museum, Canada-France-Hawai'i Telescope. Sponsors are American Savings Bank […]
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Celebrate STS-1 & STS-135 with Bob Crippen and Chris Ferguson
West Palm Beach FL, USANASA Astronauts Bob Crippen and Chris Ferguson will share personal highlights, stories and special moments of these historic flights, 45 years after STS-1 and 15 years after STS-135, at gala to raise funds for the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. At Marriott West Palm Beach. Only 38 individual tickets are available, and […]
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Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 17-20
SLC-4E (~35°N), Vandenberg SFB CA, USALaunch window 07:17-11:17 PST (05:17-09:17 HT) for 24 internet satellites.
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106th Annual Meeting of American Meteorological Society
Houston TX, USAOccurring until Jan 29; Theme: Fast and Slow Thinking: The Human Factor in a Rapidly Changing World.
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Winter school at Les Houches: The exploration of Jupiter and its moons by ESA’s JUICE mission
Les Houches, FranceOccurring until Jan 30; covers main topics of the ESA JUICE Jupiter mission.
